As the slides began to display on the screen, there was a palpable tension in the room. Alex stepped aside, allowing the coordinator and the judges to carefully review the content. Slide by slide, they compared the materials from Tate Industries to what had just been presented by the other company.Though the PowerPoint designs were different, the contents were exactly the same as those of Tate Industries. The similarities were undeniable.The judges exchanged glances, their expressions growing more serious with each passing moment. The coordinator's face hardened as he saw the evidence before him.He turned back to the audience, raising his hand to get their attention. "It is evident that the presentation given by the first company contains material strikingly similar to that of Tate Industries. This matter will require further investigation."Alex felt a surge of relief and vindication, though the sting of betrayal still lingered. He looked at his team, who were now filled with a mi
Lucy's heart sank. Her mind raced, knowing she was the one who had recorded their initiatives and plans and had given it out. The weight of her actions bore down on her, suffocating her with guilt and fear. She muttered to herself, “What if after this investigation, I'm caught as the traitor?" Panic gripped her, and she stood still, her thoughts spiraling. “Mr. Alex wouldn't hesitate to fire me!” she yelled, the sound echoing in the empty office.She glanced at her wristwatch. It was already 5:10 PM, past the usual closing time of 5 PM. Her pulse quickened. She hurriedly packed her bags, her hands trembling as she arranged her desk. She needed to get out, escape the looming consequences. As she left the office building, she fumbled for her phone and dialed Mr. Vincent's number.“Good day Mr. Vincent," Lucy greeted, trying to sound calm"Greetings to you, Lucy," Mr. Vincent responded"Sir, there's an investigation going on,” she blurted out as soon as he answered. Her voice was shaky,
Alex arrived at the location chosen by the coordinator and sought a place to sit and wait. He settled into a quiet corner, ordered a drink to calm his nerves, and began scrolling through his phone, trying to distract himself from the anticipation.Sooner than expected, the coordinator arrived. Alex quickly stood up, greeted him with a warm handshake, and exchanged pleasantries. He then invited the coordinator to make his order and decide on a drink.Once the coordinator received his drink, they both settled into their seats. Alex took a moment to gather his thoughts, then leaned forward slightly, signaling the start of their conversation.The coordinator took a sip of his drink, then opened up. "The lead team member revealed that it was his boss who gave them the idea."Alex's eyes widened in astonishment. "Did he say who his boss is?""Yes, Mr. Wilson," the coordinator responded, watching Alex's reaction closely.Hearing this, Alex's mind raced. "Oh, now I know where all this is comi
Alex woke up feeling the heavy weight of his stepfather's demands about the company pressing down on him. The concerns that had kept him tossing and turning all night still lingered in his mind.Despite the nagging anxiety, he pushed himself through his morning routine, moving quickly as he got ready for the day ahead.As he hurriedly ate his breakfast, a notification buzzed on his phone. With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, he read the message from the firm handling the ongoing project.As he absorbed the contents, his heart leapt with joy. The message revealed that the accused company had been disqualified after the investigation, and this meant Tate Industries had advanced to the second round of the competition. This news was a huge relief, and a wave of excitement rushed over him.Overwhelmed by the unexpected good news, Alex felt a sense of excitement that he hadn't experienced in a long time. His worries about his stepfather's demands seemed to melt away in an instant.The
Amelia texted back, expressing her heartfelt gratitude to Alex for his generosity. She added a thoughtful request, asking if she could invite Flora to the celebration. Amelia explained that being new to the company, she hadn't yet formed close connections with anyone and would likely feel more comfortable and less bored if she had a familiar face with her at the event.Alex read her message, feeling a warm sense of satisfaction. Without hesitation, he replied, "Of course, Amelia. Flora is welcome to join us."After sending his response, Alex immediately dialed the manager's number. When the manager picked up, Alex's voice was filled with a blend of enthusiasm and authority. "I need you to please arrange for our best collection of drinks for the celebration. Make sure Flora is excluded but have some of the staff available to serve and take orders. Also, ensure we have a variety of edibles to go along with the drinks. I want this to be a memorable event for everyone."As he hung up, Ale
"Cora, are you okay?" Lucy asked, her voice gentle as she held Cora's arm softly, trying to provide some comfort amidst the unfolding chaos.Meanwhile, Alex was finishing his speech, the sound of his voice carrying authority as he addressed the gathered crowd. "Thank you all for coming. Please, enjoy yourselves for the rest of the evening," he concluded, his mind already racing with concern as he noticed the disturbance involving Cora.Without wasting a moment, Alex hurriedly made his way over to where Cora was standing, his footsteps echoing with urgency. As he approached, he gestured to the janitor present at the event, signaling them to clean up the mess that had begun to draw unwanted attention."Cora, what is wrong with you!?" Alex muttered, his voice tinged with frustration as he tried to maintain a semblance of composure. "And what are you doing here, by the way?" he demanded, his anger evident as he glared at her, his eyes narrowing.Cora's face flushed with anger as she respo
At past 8 pm, Flora arrived at Amelia's residence. As friends, they had visited each other occasionally, so it wasn't a problem for Flora to locate her apartment. They got in, and Flora tried all she could to stabilize Amelia.Flora asked Amelia if she could stay the night, being that she wasn't completely stable, but Amelia insisted she return home so that she could get to work early tomorrow.Flora obliged and made sure Amelia was half asleep before leaving. During the time she was home with Amelia, she had quickly made dinner and ensured Amelia had a shower. Flora bid her goodbye and left, hoping she'd feel better the following day.Forty-five minutes after Flora had gone, a knock on Amelia's door woke her from her sudden sleep. She sluggishly stood up from the bed, her eyes half-closed and heavy with sleep. Each step felt like a struggle as she dragged her feet to the door, her mind still foggy. As she peeped through the hole by the door, she realized it was Alex. Amelia hesitate
“Waiter!” Amelia screamed in frustration, with her hand raised above her head, calling the attention of the waiter.“Yes ma’am, how may I help you?” the waiter responded politely“Please, I will need some more wine. Something stronger than what was given to me earlier” Amelia instructed, with her voice shaky and slightly above a whisper.The waiter nodded in response to the order that was placed. He seemed concerned, realizing she already looked tipsy from her slightly slurred speech.Amelia had just seen her father take his life a few hours ago, the thoughts and proceedings crippled her emotions. The weight of despair rested heavily on her. She searched everywhere for a spark of life but couldn’t find any.After she had drunk enough, she raised her hand once again, to signal the waiter for payment this time. Her card got slotted in and was declined. Apparently, she was out of funds. Not only did she just lose her dad, all of her family’s inheritance had been seized based on some alle